Chapter 610

"Joseph's the top medical professor in the country. With him here, Gabriel's gonna be alright," Claire reassured from the front seat.

Claire was deeply worried about Gabriel and Travis. She had watched them grow up, and the thought of Gabriel hitting the back of his head made her fear for his future. But she couldn't show her concern now. Zoey was already on the verge of breaking down because of Gabriel's accident, and Claire didn't want to add to her distress.

Zoey could only nod in response to Claire's comfort, her throat too tight to speak.

Her mind kept replaying the scene of Gabriel learning to walk and falling, hitting the corner of the table, and needing stitches on his forehead.

Gabriel had cried his heart out, and Zoey had held him, tears streaming down her face.

Now, words like "back of the head," "unconscious," and "concussion" swirled in her mind, each one cutting into her heart like a knife.

Finally, the white buildings of Marigoldia International Hospital came into view.

Zoey didn't wait for the car to stop before she flung open the door and rushed out, her high heels clacking urgently on the smooth pavement.

She headed straight for the emergency entrance, just as an ambulance arrived. The back doors opened, and Henry's tall, lean figure was the first to jump out.

He was carrying a small, blanket-wrapped body in his arms and holding the hand of Travis, who had a bandage on his forehead.

Zoey's eyes were immediately drawn to the lifeless little body resting against Henry's shoulder. It was Gabriel! His pale face was almost the same color as the hospital walls, and his long eyelashes cast shadows on his cheeks, making him look like he was sleeping, though his posture was unnaturally stiff.

"Gabriel!" Zoey cried out, rushing forward to touch Gabriel's cheek with trembling hands.

His skin was frighteningly cold, with only faint breaths indicating he was still alive.

Henry's face was darker than Zoey had ever seen, his eyes bloodshot. "Gabriel woke up once on the way, but he quickly passed out again. The doctor said it might be a concussion."

"Let me take a look," Joseph said, stepping forward to gently open Gabriel's eyelids and check his pupils. "We need to do a CT scan immediately to rule out internal bleeding."

The hospital's medical team arrived with a stretcher.

A bespectacled doctor introduced himself in fluent English as Dr. Rajiv, the head of neurosurgery, and assured them he would do everything to help Gabriel.

Upon learning Joseph's identity, Dr. Rajiv's eyes lit up, and he invited Joseph to join the treatment.

"Mom," a weak voice called from below. Zoey looked down to see Travis tugging at her clothes.

His forehead was bandaged, his right cheek was scraped, and his eyes were swollen from crying. But the most heartbreaking thing was the fear and guilt in his eyes.

Zoey immediately knelt and hugged Travis, feeling his small body tremble in her arms. "It's okay, sweetheart. Mommy's here."

"Gabriel got hurt protecting me," Travis sobbed, tears streaming down his face again. "That bad woman grabbed Gabriel's arm, and Gabriel kicked her. She let go, and Gabriel's head hit the ground."

Zoey held Travis tightly, hiding her own tears. "It's not your fault, baby. Not at all. Gabriel will be okay. Joseph is the best doctor."

Henry followed the medical team as they wheeled Gabriel to the CT room. Before leaving, he glanced back at Zoey, his eyes filled with worry and a glimmer of hope.

Zoey nodded, signaling Henry to go ahead while she stayed to care for Travis.

A nurse led them to the emergency observation room for a thorough check-up on Travis.

Apart from the scrapes on his forehead and knees, Travis was just shaken up, with no serious injuries.

The nurse gently cleaned his wounds, applied ointment, and rewarded him with a lollipop. But Travis clung to Zoey's hand, his eyes fixed on the door, waiting for news about Gabriel.

Time seemed to crawl by, the clock outside the emergency room moving painfully slow.

Zoey sat on a bench with Travis in her arms, Claire and Celine on either side, offering quiet comfort.

Yara paced back and forth, hands clasped in silent prayer.

Two hours later, the emergency room doors finally opened.

Joseph and Dr. Rajiv emerged, their white coats stained with a bit of blood, but their expressions much more relaxed.

"Good news," Joseph said, a faint smile on his face. "The CT scan shows no internal bleeding, just a moderate concussion and a minor skull fracture. Gabriel has regained consciousness, and his vital signs are stable."

Zoey finally broke down, her nerves snapping after a day of tension.

She buried her face in Travis's shoulder, her tears soaking his shirt. Travis, unsure of what to do, patted Zoey's back, whispering, "Mommy, don't cry. Gabriel's okay now."

"Gabriel needs to be observed in the hospital for 48 hours," Dr. Rajiv added. "But the prognosis is good. The skull of a three-year-old is very resilient, and this level of injury usually doesn't cause long-term issues."

Just then, a nurse wheeled a bed out of the emergency room.

Gabriel lay on it, his head wrapped in white bandages, his face still pale, but his eyes were open, looking around weakly. When he saw Zoey and Travis, his eyes lit up.

"Mommy," Gabriel's voice was soft but enough to melt Zoey's heart.

She rushed to the bedside, carefully kissing Gabriel's forehead, avoiding his wound. "Sweetheart, Mommy's here. Does it hurt?"

Gabriel shook his head slightly, then looked at the tearful Travis. "Travis, don't cry. I'm okay."

That broke Travis completely.

He wriggled out of Zoey's arms and clung to the side of the bed, gently holding Gabriel's fingers. "Gabriel, I'm sorry. It's all my fault."

"It's not your fault, Travis," Gabriel managed a weak smile. "It's the bad person's fault."

Zoey watched her two sons, feeling both sorrow and relief.

Despite the terrifying ordeal of the kidnapping, they were still able to comfort and protect each other.

She looked up at Henry, standing on the other side of the bed, his eyes also filled with proud and tender tears.

The nurse reminded them that Gabriel needed rest, and everyone stepped aside to let the bed be wheeled to the children's ward.

Zoey held Travis in one arm and Henry's hand in the other, following the bed.

Behind them, Claire and Celine exchanged smiles, and Yara finally relaxed, sinking onto the bench.

The golden rays of the setting sun streamed through the corridor windows, casting a warm glow over everyone.